Documentary on yolk sac/umbilical preemies

[Somshine]

Still going strong!

 

[Somshine]

5 weeks old now and still just like the others! Very sweet inquisitive personality, sure hope it's a girl! I don't feel like we're going to have any issues!

 

[tranquiliti]

Should’ve culled mine (or interpreted your tale more clearly)—I got some blood and it’s in pain.

 

[Somshine]

Should’ve culled mine (or interpreted your tale more clearly)—I got some blood and it’s in pain.

Oh no, I'm so sorry. How is it doing? I am definitely not a veterinarian I have just been working with animals all my life from pets to wildlife rehab. I tried to carefully walk through my experience just to share it because I did not end up needing to cull my chick and it is doing just as well as all the others now. But I have seen many other experiences as well. I did leave the sack alone until it looked dried out and tried a pinch for pain and then a tiny snip to check for blood. I know my experience is not going to be everybody's, and some chicks will need to be culled. And I was prepared to do that at the first sign of distress. That just never happened.

 

[FunClucks]

So glad your chicks are still doing okay!

When I incubated eggs from several different breed hens, I noticed that even with same size eggs some of them lost moisture at a different rate, and for my super large eggs, one of the ones that did hatch had an umbilical issue I had to cull for (half its intestines were outside its body and I couldn't fix it). After a bit of research I figured the shells must have a different amount of porosity. So either being larger eggs (more moisture that has to leave), or different porosity shells than the rest of your eggs could cause there to be more fluid in the affected eggs.

Another thing is I think the Nurture Right 360 turner may not have been sufficiently turning those 63 g eggs. So next time I'm using shelf liner under the turner so the egg will roll instead of slip when the turner turns.

How did your dry hatch go for those larger eggs? I'd think if you only hatched those particular eggs, you could optimize your humidity to get the weight loss you need. Also, weighing the eggs each week can be a good check - if they're not losing enough, decrease the humidity in the incubator. 11-13% weight loss for chickens by Day 19 is the goal.

 

[Somshine]

So glad your chicks are still doing okay!

When I incubated eggs from several different breed hens, I noticed that even with same size eggs some of them lost moisture at a different rate, and for my super large eggs, one of the ones that did hatch had an umbilical issue I had to cull for (half its intestines were outside its body and I couldn't fix it). After a bit of research I figured the shells must have a different amount of porosity. So either being larger eggs (more moisture that has to leave), or different porosity shells than the rest of your eggs could cause there to be more fluid in the affected eggs.

Another thing is I think the Nurture Right 360 turner may not have been sufficiently turning those 63 g eggs. So next time I'm using shelf liner under the turner so the egg will roll instead of slip when the turner turns.

How did your dry hatch go for those larger eggs? I'd think if you only hatched those particular eggs, you could optimize your humidity to get the weight loss you need. Also, weighing the eggs each week can be a good check - if they're not losing enough, decrease the humidity in the incubator. 11-13% weight loss for chickens by Day 19 is the goal.

I only got two out of my dry hatch. Definitely was not the solution. I guess I will just avoid putting the extra large eggs in the incubator. Unfortunately it's all my two favorite hens lay lol

 

[FunClucks]

I only got two out of my dry hatch. Definitely was not the solution. I guess I will just avoid putting the extra large eggs in the incubator. Unfortunately it's all my two favorite hens lay lol

I'm sorry that didn't work for you.

What humidity were you running during your dry hatch (what was the ambient humidity that your unit was reading)? Since dry hatching just means you're not adding any moisture, you're using what the environment naturally has, I'm wondering what your environment was. Might try hatching again during winter when it's super dry, or run a dehumidifier in that room when hatching to get the humidity of the room lower during incubation.

Did you weigh the eggs to see what weight loss they were getting every week or so?

If you have a turner, are you sure the eggs are turning well? Umbilical issues can be due to insufficient egg turning leading to abnormal development. I was researching this in particular because that's what happened to mine, and only in the large eggs. I concluded they were slipping instead of turning in my Nurture Right 360 because they were heavy and the tray was slick. The shelf liner I plan to use next time will make them turn instead of slipping.

I ask because it really does sound like they're just not losing enough moisture during incubation, and that's fixable.

I built an entire still air incubator from reptile keeping equipment and a spare pressure canner I had on hand because I wanted to save my favorite hen's eggs during an unintentional staggered hatch. I totally get wanting to hatch your favorite hen's eggs. They make otherwise healthy chicks, so I think this is doable.

 

[n8ivetxn]

Great thread! I read it all.... about 2 and half days ago, I had 2 eggs hatch out of 12. These are my own eggs, rumpless tufted Araucanas...

Using a Nurture Right 360 - A friend had borrowed it and she interrupted the cycle. When I started it up, I didn't think to make sure it reset to factory settings. After a couple of days, I suspected the turner wasn't working, but I wasn't sure. I'd hit the test button and it seemed fine. By day 8 I knew something was wrong. I finally figured it out. Heartbreaking, really.

The first chick took forever to get out of the shell. I thought I was going to need to assist. The second pipped on day 22 and was out on day 23, but it was a nasty mess. Goo everywhere and I realized the chick's back end was a train wreck...the yolk sac had not been completely absorbed and the vent had something going on there too...I got it out of the incubator before the other one noticed...put some Neosporin on it the first day and later dipped it in iodine to help dry it up better. Yesterday, more Neosporin, but it I was worried the vent may be blocked. The chick is in such a mess, the down hasn't fluffed on the back half. It tries, but cries like it hurts....

The hatch mate is beginning to eat and drink, but this one isn't - although it is spry, it preens and stretches and pecks at it's surroundings (in between naps lol). So tonight, I brought it in and put it's back end under warm running water and quickly cleaned off everything - carefully avoiding the navel area....the chick seemed to enjoy it lol! Cheeping happily and nestled in the dry cloth afterwards, I gently blow-dried it a bit and put it back in the brooder...There is a screen dividing it from it's hatch mate, just in case! Hopefully, over night it can fluff up the down in the back and the appetite will kick in too...

I took several pics and none were good! This is before I washed it up tonight... Near my index finger, the yellow stuff, I think, is residual yolk (or maybe poo?) that hardened up. It's difficult to see, but the dark spot is the navel, still healing up a bit. It's larger in reality, the pic only shows a little of the navel. You can see the down hasn't fluffed, it's just stiff and stuck to the poor chick.

It's a tiny little thing, but I think it has tufts on both sides (Yeah!) - my first hatchling to have that ... I sure hope it survives

 

[n8ivetxn]

Beginning day 3, looks a little better this morning. Chick was able to poop a time or two...

 

[n8ivetxn]

Well, the chick ate, drank and had gooey poo again today.... It must hurt because the chick is very noisy... I don't know how long they normally have pasty butt or how long it takes a navel to heal over either, we're struggling with both those issues. I'm very careful with doctoring, I don't want to cause any problems with that navel trying to heal over. It's very crusty and scabbed, so that's a plus.
Here's the back side this morning after I washed it up and doctored it with more Neosporin.... As long as it keeps trying, so will I!!